An independent hair care brand with barbershop roots, a free-spirited namesake and a refreshingly laid-back approach to getting your hair right.
Some grooming brands look like they belong in a laboratory. Others appear to have been designed for a gentleman's dressing room somewhere around 1890.
And then there's Goldie Provisions.
With its warm colours, cheerful packaging and unmistakable nod to the psychedelic sixties, Goldie looks as though it might have wandered out of a particularly good record shop.
There's a little more to it than good looks, though.
Behind the colourful jars and easygoing attitude is a working barber who wanted to make hair products that were straightforward to use, pleasant to live with and capable of doing their job without too much fuss.
A Barber Behind the Brand
Goldie Provisions is the creation of Brandon Burdine, an American barber and entrepreneur whose interests extend well beyond the barber's chair.
Over the years, Burdine has been involved in barbershops, a salon, a tattoo parlour, a coffee shop and even a cocktail bar.
It's an interesting collection of businesses, but there's a common thread running through them: places where people gather, conversations happen and a little personality goes a long way.
Hair care was a natural extension of that world.
Rather than developing products purely around marketing trends, Goldie grew out of the practical demands of working with hair. Its products are tested in a barbershop environment, where a styling product needs to do considerably more than look attractive on a shelf.
It needs to work.
Who's Goldie?
Here's our favourite part of the story.
Goldie was named after Burdine's grandmother.
According to the creative team behind the brand's identity, she was something of a free spirit, and that independent streak became an inspiration for the whole project.
Suddenly, the colourful packaging makes a little more sense.
The visual identity takes its cues from the late sixties, with playful lettering, psychedelic patterns and the sort of warm, optimistic colours you might associate with vintage posters and old record sleeves.
It's nostalgic without feeling particularly old-fashioned.
The branding work, developed with Pivot Brands, even picked up recognition at the 2023 American Advertising Awards in Indianapolis.
Not bad for a range of hair products.
But perhaps the nicest thing about Goldie's appearance is that it doesn't take itself too seriously. There's plenty of room in grooming for a little colour and humour.
Made for Hair, Not a Particular Kind of Person
Goldie has a fairly straightforward philosophy when it comes to who its products are for.
Anyone with hair.
Burdine has spoken about wanting to create products that focus on the hair itself rather than the person using them.
It's a simple idea, but a sensible one.
Hair doesn't particularly care whether a product came from the men's aisle, the women's aisle or somewhere in between.
What matters is its length, texture, condition and the style you're trying to achieve.
Goldie's range follows that thinking, with styling products designed around different finishes and applications rather than traditional grooming categories.
There's no great mystery to it. Find something that suits your hair, use it the way you like and get on with your day.
A Little Less Fuss in the Formula
Goldie describes its approach as plant-based hair care, with thoughtfully developed formulas and an emphasis on ingredients selected for their purpose.
The products are made in small batches in Indianapolis, Indiana, rather than presented as the output of some enormous, anonymous production line.
There's also an emphasis on recyclable packaging and keeping the overall experience relatively uncomplicated.
Of course, plant-based doesn't automatically mean a product will suit everyone. Fragrance, texture and performance are still matters of personal preference.
What we appreciate is that Goldie has a clear idea of what it wants its products to be: approachable, useful and enjoyable to use.
The brand's own description of its development process is reassuringly practical. Products are tested in the barbershop before they're released.
That seems like a reasonable place to start.
Getting to Know the Lineup
Goldie's product names are almost as entertaining as its packaging.
Peace Paste is part of the brand's styling range for those looking to shape and control their hair.
Mellow Matte takes its place among the options for a more understated finish.
Deja Waves Creme caters to a softer, more relaxed approach to styling, particularly where natural movement and texture are the goal.
Hiptonic Sea Spray brings a different kind of texture into the picture, while Boogie Dust offers a powder format for those who prefer working with dry texture.
It's a compact range, but one that offers several different ways to approach the same head of hair.
And, as with any styling product, the right choice depends on what you're working with and what you're hoping to achieve.
One person's perfect finish is another person's bad hair day.
Take Care Up There
Goldie has a little phrase that sums up its outlook rather nicely: Take Care Up There.
It's a good reminder that grooming doesn't always need to be complicated.
There's something appealing about a brand that combines genuine barbershop experience with an appreciation for good design, a little nostalgia and a sense of humour.
Goldie Provisions isn't trying to turn your morning routine into a grand ceremony.
It's making hair products with a bit of character, designed to help you get ready and get on with whatever the day has in store.
And if the jar happens to brighten up your bathroom shelf in the process, all the better.
Look Good. Live Well. Love More.
